Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe flies in for talks with under pressure Ruben Amorim | OneFootball

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe flew into Carrington by helicopter on Thursday for a series of pre-planned meetings, including face-to-face discussions with head coach Ruben Amorim, amid mounting scrutiny of the Portuguese manager’s future, The Athletic reports.

Although club sources, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, stressed that Ratcliffe’s visit had long been arranged, United’s poor start to the campaign inevitably formed a central part of the agenda. United have won just one of their opening four Premier League fixtures, including last weekend’s bruising 3-0 derby defeat by Manchester City, while August’s Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town still lingers as a humiliation.

Investment without returns

Amorim, who was hired last autumn to succeed Erik ten Hag, has presided over a steady decline in results despite significant investment. A new £200m forward line featuring Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha was meant to signal a new era of attacking power. Instead, United sit 14th in the Premier League, a position uncomfortably familiar after last season’s 15th-place finish and the bitter disappointment of missing out on Europe by losing the Europa League final.

A stubborn philosophy

The 39-year-old manager has remained steadfast in his tactical convictions, rejecting calls to adapt his system. “If I want to change my philosophy, I will change,” Amorim said after the City defeat. “If not, you have to change the man.” His comments echoed a refrain from May’s Europa League final loss to Tottenham, when he suggested he would walk away without compensation if the board lost faith.

Ratcliffe’s backing, for now

Ratcliffe, who also attended Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford, has publicly defended his coach in the past, praising Amorim’s intellect and candour. However, whether that mutual respect can survive another prolonged slump remains uncertain. Saturday’s home match against Chelsea already carries the weight of a decisive moment in Amorim’s tenure. Defeat could leave United’s hierarchy facing a choice the manager himself has repeatedly put to them: change the system, or change the man.

GFN | Finn Entwistle